[comp.fonts] Want to know about font file format

phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (02/26/90)

Are there any references that describe the formats of files that contain
character fonts.  I realize there may be many different formats (as there
are certainly different ways to describe fonts).

I am designing a terminal program for a PC using VGA in graphics mode.
I would like to include the capability for a user to import any font they
may get (purchased, over the net, etc.) and I would need to know what the
conversion program is going to get in the way of a font file.  If one of
the formats in inherintly appropriate for my terminal program, I may even
adopt that format as the one my program uses (perhaps allowing me to use
other font conversion programs if any exist).

While I intend to get back to this newsgroup to read replies, email answers
would be appreciated anyway.  Thanks.

--Phil Howard, KA9WGN--
<phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

woody@rpp386.cactus.org (Woodrow Baker) (02/27/90)

In article <5200001@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
> 
> Are there any references that describe the formats of files that contain
> character fonts.  I realize there may be many different formats (as there
> are certainly different ways to describe fonts).
> 
> I am designing a terminal program for a PC using VGA in graphics mode.
> I would like to include the capability for a user to import any font they
> may get (purchased, over the net, etc.) and I would need to know what the
> conversion program is going to get in the way of a font file.  If one of
> the formats in inherintly appropriate for my terminal program, I may even
> adopt that format as the one my program uses (perhaps allowing me to use
> other font conversion programs if any exist).
> 
> While I intend to get back to this newsgroup to read replies, email answers
> would be appreciated anyway.  Thanks.
> 
> --Phil Howard, KA9WGN--
> <phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>

I think that I'd look carefully at the hp soft font format.  It is documented
in the hplaserjet II programming manuals.  It is fairly easy to decode.  It
has the advantage that there are literaly THOUSANDS of fonts in it.  There are
several good scaleable outline fonts that creat them (Bitstream comes to mind)
If I were picking a font format to study, and to build a displayer for, I'd use
the HP fonts.

Cheers
Woody